The present invention relates to a connector cover which is adapted to cover a connector for connection in a piping, for example, in a fuel piping for a vehicle, and thereby provides a water shield or waterproofness between the connector and a pipe inserted and fitted in the connector to prevent water or the like from entering therebetween.
In a fluid piping structure where a pipe is connected or jointed to a tube, a connector is used for connecting or jointing the pipe to the tube. The connector typically has integrally a tube connecting portion on one axial side thereof to be connected to the tube, and a pipe inserting portion on an opposite axial side thereof to be connected to the pipe. A connecting portion between the connector or the pipe inserting portion and the pipe is provided with a connector sealing member or members to protect against leak out of an internal fluid. The connector sealing member concurrently prevent foreign materials such as water entering the connecting portion therebetween from outside. However, since the connector such as located on an underside of a vehicle body is subject to a heavy splash of rain water or the like, for example, from road surfaces, it is preferred to provide a water shield by covering around the connecting portion between the pipe and the connector.
On the other hand, in such piping system, for example, a pipe is formed with an annular engagement projection around one axial side of an outer peripheral surface thereof, and a connector is configured with a retainer to be fitted in a pipe inserting portion thereof. Then, the pipe is inserted into the retainer so that the annular engagement projection snap-engages with one axial end portion of the retainer providing a stop mechanism that prevents the pipe coming off the connector, and consequently, the pipe is completely connected to the connector. If an operator does not take care sufficiently to complete connection between the pipe and the connector, the pipe might not be fully inserted into the retainer and the annular engagement projection of the pipe might not snap-engage with one axial end portion of the retainer, or the retainer might not be fitted properly in the pipe inserting portion of the connector. That is, the pipe might be in a half-fitting relation with respect to the connector. In case of the piping system subject to operation while the pipe is incompletely connected with the connector, usually sealing property by the connector sealing member between the pipe and the connector becomes lowered, and an internal fluid leaks out. Therefore, it is required to supply a mechanism for verifying easily a complete connection between the pipe and the connector. Such mechanism, for example, includes an annular projection arranged and provided on an outer periphery of the pipe so as to be located axially outside of the connector when the pipe is inserted and fitted in the connector, and a connector clip, for example, as disclosed in JP, A, 11-6591, to be mounted on the pipe and the connector which enables to verify easily a complete connection therebetween.
Meanwhile, a connector cover is mounted on the connecting portion between the pipe and the connector, in order to provide a water shield thereto. If such a connector clip is mounted on the connecting portion therebetween for verifying a full connection of the pipe and the connector, the connector cover resultingly is mounted further over the connector clip to the connecting portion. Then, the connecting portion will be oversized, and an assembly process including a work for mounting the connector clip and a work for mounting the connector cover will be bothersome to an operator.
In view of a foregoing aspect, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector cover having a checking function for easily verifying that a pipe is completely inserted and fitted in a connector when mounting the connector cover on the connecting portion between the pipe and the connector, as well as providing a water shield therebetween.
In order to achieve the aforementioned object of the present invention, there is provided a novel connector cover adapted to be mounted to a connector for a fluid path and a pipe inserted in and snap-engaged with the connector, and to provide a water shield therebetween. The connector is formed with a tube connecting portion on one axial side thereof, and a pipe inserting portion on an opposite axial side thereof, or at least on an opposite axial side thereof. The pipe is inserted from an opening of an opposite axial end of the pipe inserting portion therein for snap-fit in the connector or the pipe inserting portion. The pipe or the insertion end portion of the pipe inserted into the pipe inserting portion is sealed by a connector sealing member or members disposed or provided therein with respect to the connector or the pipe inserting portion. The pipe is provided with an annular projection on an outer periphery thereof to be located axially outwardly from the opening of the pipe inserting portion.
The connector cover comprises a mounting body for being mounted on a connecting portion between the pipe and the connector. More specifically, the mounting body is mounted to a length from the pipe inserting portion of the connector to an opposite axial side from the annular projection of the pipe, for constituting a tubular water shield. The connector cover or the mounting body may comprise two or a pair of cover elements or cover members, which may be integrally connected together, to constitute a tubular water shield or a tubular water shield assembly for the connector and the pipe. A pair of cover elements are joined each other so as to radially hold therebetween and enclose a length from the pipe inserting portion to an opposite axial side from the annular projection of the pipe.
The tubular water shield or the tubular water shield assembly is formed internally with or has an inner periphery configuration with a connector receiving portion on one axial side thereof for receiving the pipe inserting portion of the connector, and a pipe receiving portion on an opposite axial side thereof for receiving the pipe including the annular projection. The connector receiving portion receives the pipe inserting portion so that one axial side of the connector extends or projects axially outwardly from one axial end portion of the tubular water shield, and the pipe receiving portion receives the pipe including the annular projection so that an opposite axial side of the pipe extends or projects from an opposite axial end portion of the tubular water shield. The pipe receiving portion is formed with a projection receiving section on one axial side thereof for receiving the annular projection of the pipe, and a pipe receiving section on an opposite axial side thereof for receiving a portion of an opposite axial side from the annular projection of the pipe. A diameter or an inner diameter of the pipe receiving section is sized generally identical to an outer diameter of the pipe to be received therein.
The mounting body or the cover elements respectively may be made of resin in thin wall configuration, the pipe may be made of metal, and the connector may be made or resin or metal. Typically, an annular engagement projection is formed around an outer peripheral surface of the pipe, on one axial side or an insertion side from the annular projection, then, a retainer is fitted in the pipe inserting portion of the connector or fitted on an outer periphery of the pipe inserting portion of the connector, for example, releasably. And, on the occasion of connecting the pipe and the connector, the pipe is inserted in the pipe inserting portion or in the retainer so that the annular engagement projection is snap-engaged with the retainer or one axial end portion of the retainer On the occasion of release of connection therebetween, for example, the retainer in engagement with the pipe is relatively pulled out of the connector, or engagement between the retainer and the pipe is released by means of a release tool or by deforming of the retainer, and the pipe only is relatively pulled out of the connector. The connector has the tube connecting portion on one axial side thereof and the pipe inserting portion on an opposite axial side thereof. Any connector provided with a tube connection portion at one axial end portion of a pipe inserting portion thereof falls into the concept of the connector of the present invention. Also, a tube connecting portion of the present invention means any connecting portion of various members being connected to the pipe.
The connector receiving portion usually receives and encloses the pipe inserting portion of the connector (at least an opposite axial side of the pipe inserting portion) so as to be kept axially in place, that is, to be kept from axial displacement with respect to the tubular water shield, or to be allowed for only slight axial displacement, however, substantially for no axial displacement with respect to the tubular water shield. One axial side of the connector extends outwardly from one opening of the tubular water shield (an opening of the connector receiving portion), that is, an opening of one axial end portion of the tubular water shield. An opposite axial side of the pipe extends outwardly from the other opening of the tubular water shield (an opening of the pipe receiving portion or the pipe receiving section), that is, an opening of an opposite axial end portion of the tubular water shield. The openings of the tubular water shield are sealed liquid-tightly with respect to the connector and to the pipe respectively, for instance, by a sealing member or members for the opening, or a cover sealing member or members. The cover sealing member may be formed in a loop along an outer edge portion of the cover element. The contact portions or the contact surfaces of two cover elements are also sealed liquid-tightly, for instance, by a cover sealing member or members or a sealing member or members for cover.
The pipe receiving section of the pipe receiving portion is typically formed in a simple cylindrical shape, and is adapted to receive and enclose a portion of an opposite axial side from the annular projection of the pipe. The pipe receiving section has an inner diameter or a diameter substantially identical to an outer diameter of the pipe, that is, an outer diameter of an opposite axial portion from the annular projection of the pipe. That means the pipe receiving section does not have sufficient size or inner dimension to receive the annular projection of the pipe. Therefore, if the pipe is not sufficiently or correctly fitted in the connector or one axial side of the pipe is not inserted of sufficient length in the connector, that is, the pipe is incomplete fitting relation with respect to the connector, and thereby the annular projection of the pipe is located in an area of the pipe receiving section, the mounting body cannot be mounted on the pipe and the connector, or the cover elements cannot be joined one to the other. Even if the mounting body could be mounted or the cover elements could be joined, the mounting body or the cover elements would have resultingly been deformed by force. Thus, it can be easily judged whether the pipe is correctly fitted in the connector on mounting the mounting body or joining the cover elements each other (that is, on mounting the connector cover). Usually, the connector cover is constructed so that the annular projection is to be located in an area of the pipe receiving section when the pipe is located deviating somewhat toward an opposite axial side with relation to the connector compared to the case that the pipe is correctly fitted in the connector. Under the situation where the pipe is correctly inserted and fitted in the connector, the mounting body can be mounted smoothly, or the cover elements can be joined each other smoothly as the annular projection of the pipe is received in the projection receiving section of the pipe receiving portion. And, typically, the annular projection of the pipe is received in the projection receiving section so as to be kept in place in relation to an opposite axial side with respect to the tubular water shield. For example, the annular projection of the pipe is received in the projection receiving section in abutment relation with or like in abutment relation with a radial internal surface between the projection receiving section and the pipe receiving section. Then, normally, the pipe is substantially locked against axial movement out of the connector cover, and thereby the pipe is protected against coming out of the connector.
The connector cover providing a water shield between a pipe and a connector of the present invention cannot be mounted to the pipe and the connector, or should be forcibly mounted thereto when the pipe is not fully inserted or fitted in the connector. However, it may occur that the mounting body is mounted to the pipe and the connector, or the cover elements are joined each other smoothly without problem although the pipe is not completely inserted into the connector. Because an annular projection of the pipe may be located out of the pipe receiving section of the pipe receiving portion, in other words, may be located outside the opening of an opposite axial end portion of the tubular water shield. In such case, if the connector and the pipe are sealed therebetween, even not sufficiently, an inspection fluid might not leak out when the inspection fluid flows in the connector and the pipe at sealing property test. As a result, incomplete connection between the pipe and the connector may be overlooked, and there might be a possibility that the piping is subject to operation wherein the pipe is not fully fitted in the connector. According to this aspect, a pipe receiving portion is preferably formed to have a pipe receiving section with an axial length equal to or longer than an axial distance between one axial end or an insertion end of the pipe fitted in and snap-engaged with the connector or the retainer (correctly inserted and fitted in the connector) and an opposite axial end of the connector sealing member. In thus arrangement, if the annular projection of the pipe is located outside the pipe receiving section of the pipe receiving portion under incomplete connecting relation between the pipe and the connector, the mounting body can be mounted on the pipe and the connector smoothly or the cover elements can be joined smoothly without problem. However, one axial end of the pipe does not reach the connector sealing member, or slightly contact the connector sealing member. Thus, the inspection fluid certainly leaks between the pipe and the connector at sealing property test and thereby it is ensured to verify that the pipe is not fully fitted in the connector. If a plurality of connector sealing members are disposed axially in side by side relation, an axial length of the pipe receiving section may be designed longer than an axial distance between one axial end of the pipe and an opposite axial end of the connector sealing member located on the most opposite axial side.
Alternatively, an axial length of the pipe receiving section of the pipe receiving portion may be designed longer than an axial distance between the annular engagement projection and the annular projection of the pipe. In this arrangement, under the situation where the annular projection of the pipe is located outside the pipe receiving section of the pipe receiving portion, the annular engagement projection of the pipe stays in an area of the pipe receiving section, resulting that the connector cover cannot be mounted to the connector and the pipe, at least smoothly. Thereby it is verified that the pipe is not fully inserted and fitted in the connector.
In many cases, a cover sealing member or members are provided between two cover elements, between one axial end portion of the tubular water shield and the connector, and between an opposite axial end portion thereof and the pipe, in order to provide an enhanced water shield or waterproofness therebetween. The cover sealing member may be formed integrally along with the cover element in two-shot injection molding process. In this case, material for the cover sealing member may be selected in view of compatibility with the cover element in two-shot injection molding process. For example, if the cover element is made of polyester resin, the cover sealing member may be made of ester thermoplastic elastomer or ester TPE (TPEE). If the cover element is made of polypropylene resin, the cover sealing member may be made of olefin thermoplastic elastomer or olefin TPE (TPO).
It is preferred that two cover elements are hinged each other on one radial end portions (one end portions in direction transversely to an axis) thereof, so as to enable easily to mount the connector cover to the connector and the pipe. It is effective that one-touch lock mechanism is provided between opposite radial end portions of two cover elements so as to enable to more easily mount thereto. The cover elements may be formed of two halves respectively in a shape like half-cut generally of a cylinder or generally of a tubular body along an axis thereof,
Typically, the connector cover is provided through with a drain passage to enable to easily verify leak-out of inspection fluid applied at sealing property test or of actual fluid under actual operation. Inspection fluid or fluid which leaks out between the pipe and the connector flows in the tubular water shield or connector cover, and then is discharged through out of the drain passage. In an actual arrangement wherein an exhaust pipe is disposed in proximity to the connector adapted for a gasoline fuel piping in a vehicle, if the drain passage is provided on a side in proximity to the exhaust pipe and gasoline fuel leaked out is discharged on a side in proximity thereto, the discharged gasoline fuel might catch fire. Therefore, it is effective that the connector cover is constructed to form the tubular water shield wherein the drain passage is located distant from the exhaust pipe or a side distant therefrom.
A connector, a pipe inserted and fitted in a pipe inserting portion of the connector, and a connector cover mounted on the connector and the pipe construct a water shield or waterproof structure for connector.
And, a connector, a pipe inserted and fitted in the inserting portion of the connector, a connector cover mounted on the connector and the pipe, and an exhaust pipe construct a water shield or waterproof structure for piping.
As described above, a connector cover for providing a water shield of the present invention has a checking function to easily verify that a pipe is completely inserted and fitted in a connector at mounting the connector cover thereto, and thus it can be prevented by adapting the connector cover that the connector and the pipe in half-fitting relation are subject to an operation.